1 DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON TEXT AND TUNE (TONE) IN GHANAIAN HYMNOLOGY – A CASE STUDY OF THE CHRISTIAN AS$R NDWOM OF THE METHODIST CHURCH GHANA BY JAMES VARRICK ARMAAH (10130193) THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN MUSIC. JUNE 2016 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 2 Declaration I James Varrick Armaah declare that this Thesis, with the exception of quotations and references contained in published works which have all been identified and acknowledged, is entirely my own original work, and has not been submitted, either in part or whole, for another degree elsewhere. CANDIDATE: JAMES VARRICK ARMAAH 1013193 SIGN:…………………………. DATE SUPERVISORS: DR. COLTER HAPER VISITING SCHOLAR SIGN:……………………......... DATE: DR. JOSHUA AMUAH HEAD OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA SIGN:…………………………... DATE: University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am very thankful to God Almighty for his mercy and protection throughout the project. I am also grateful to my wonderful supervisors Doctors Joshua Alfred Amuah and Colter Haper for the enormous time they spent on my work. To especially Dr Amuah, I am very grateful for your corrections, patience and assistance throughout the duration of the project. I am also grateful to all lecturers of the music department of the University of Ghana, especially Mr. Timothy Andoh for making his works available to me. I have really benefitted greatly from his articles. Not forgetting Professor Daniel Avorbgedor and Mr. Benjamin Amakye Boateng, I am so grateful to you both. I am much grateful my friend and brother Pius Apprey for his time and support throughout. Finally, I take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all my MPHIL Music mates. I love and appreciate all of you for your support. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 4 DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my wonderful mother, Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee and all members of the Harmonious Chorale, Ghana. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 5 TABLE OF CONTENT Declaration i Acknowledgement ii Dedication iii Table of Contents iv List of Tables vi List of Figures vii Abstract viii Chapter One Introduction 1 Background to the study 1 Problem Statement 6 Aims and Objectives 7 Research Questions 7 Scope of the Study 7 Literature Review 8 Theoretical Framework 11 Significance of the Study 12 Methodology 12 Chapter Two Historical Perspective of the Christian Asor Ndwom 14 Preamble 14 Music Performance in the Fantiland before the Introduction of Christianity 14 Choral music performances at the era of the Missionaries 17 Traditional Ghanaian music and the beginning of Choral Compositions in the Methodist Church Ghana 18 The Formation of the Singing Bands 22 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 6 The Christian Asor Ndwom 23 Chapter Three Text as a tool in melody writing 26 Text and melody 26 Speech Rhythm 47 Strophic Writing Form against Through–Composed Writing 56 Chapter Four Compositions 59 Preamble 59 Analysis of the through-composed songs 78 Chapter Five Summary, Findings, Conclusion and Recommendations 82 Preamble 82 Summary 82 Findings 84 Conclusion 89 Recommendations 90 References 94 Appendix 96 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 7 List of Tables Table 1: H1n Koma, nsa nye ndze 32 Table 2: Nyimpa a hom w4 wiadze nyina 36 Table 3: Konyim As4r n’Ewuradze 39 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 8 List of Figures Fig 1: Aber (upward pronunciation) 26 Fig 2: Aber (same level pronunciation) 26 Fig 3: Obi ne wiadze (on a three line scale) 28 Fig 4: Obi ne wiadze 28 Fig 5: Monkamfo no (except from the melody of Nketia, J.H,K.) 29 Fig 6: H1n koma, nsa, nye ndze (Melody with Fanti text) 30 Fig 7: How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (melody with English text) 47 Fig 8: Mbr1 Jesus ne dzin dua y1 d1w (melody with Fanti text) 48 Fig. 9: Nkyirimma ny1 bi (except from the melody of Nketia, J.H, K.) 48 Fig 10: H1n koma, nsa nye ndze 49 Fig 11: Nyimpa a hom w4 wiadze nyina 51 Fig 12: Konyim As4r n’Ewuradze 53 Fig 13: How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (melody with English text stanzas) 56 Fig 14: Mbr1 Jesus ne dzin dua y1 d1w (melody with Fanti stanzas) 57 Fig 15: Nkyirimma ny1 bi 1 57 Fig 16: Nkyirimma ny1 bi 2 57 Fig 17: Nkyirimma ny1 bi 3 57 Fig 18: Verse 1 58 Fig 19: Verse 2 58 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 9 ABSTRACT This thesis concentrated on the translation of the English hymns of the British Methodist church to the Fanti Language for the indigenes of the Fantiland. The Fanti translations for the English hymns fail to put music and language together in the terms of pitch and melodic contour. The same melody is used for all stanzas of the hymn with no consideration for the changing pitches of the text in the verses. The research methodology involved Data collection, transcription and analysis of existing African songs. Three hymns from the Christian As4r Ndwom have been transcribed and analysed. I have finally composed three songs for the selected hymns based on the points discussed in the study. The study sought to find ways of writing melodies that flow with the tonal contour of the Fanti Language without compromising the beauty of the music as well as keep its uniqueness as a single song with changing melodies to the other verses. The findings of the study helps us to have a solution to language distortion created by the unbalanced alignment of text and tune. It teaches us to create new melodies without compromising existing beauty, as well as writing melodies for all stanzas, to sound as a complete song. The study finally educates us on the background and nationalities of the translators. In conclusion, the thesis will assist students and upcoming composers improve their melody writing skills especially in the usage of African text. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 10 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY The Christian As4r Ndwom, the Fanti version of the Methodist Hymn Book, was first published in 1937 and upgraded in 1962. The 1962 edition of the book has translations from various Hymn Books that include: Methodist Hymn Book, Wesley's Hymns, Old Methodist Hymn Book, Old Wesleyan Sunday School Hymn Book, Methodist School Hymnal and Sankey's Sacred Songs and Solos. The hymn book has three hundred and forty-four (344) hymns translation and added to the compilation, are Ghanaian songs called Ebibindwom as well as original hymns by Ghanaian composers (Christian As4r Ndwom Fofor, 2012). According to Turkson (1972:1), the Ebibindwom (Akan sacred lyric) evolved from out of certain musical types as a result of social change. The Ebibindwom is a Fanti traditional type of music in which a lead voice does a call and there is a response by a chorus or the whole congregation responds. The text of Ebibindwom is sacred and usually in praise of God. It was first introduced and performed in the Methodist Church Ghana. In the preface of the Methodist Hymn Book with Tunes (1933): "METHODISM was born in song. Charles Wesley wrote the first hymns of the Evangelical Revival during the great Whitsuntide of 1738 when his brother and he were "filled with the spirit”, and from that time onwards the Methodists have never ceased to sing. Their characteristic poet is still Charles Wesley. While for half a century hymns poured continually from his pen on almost every subject within the compass of Christianity, and while no part of the New Testament escaped him, most of all he sang the "gospel according to St. Paul." He is the poet of the Evangelical faith. In consequence Methodism has always been able to sing its creed". (Methodist conference-office, London, 1933) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 11 It is a common knowledge that before the arrival of the Europeans, Ghanaians had their own forms of worship and music that suited their own African religion. This is to say that, singing or music in the broader sense has been a part and parcel of the African's way of life. Singing comes naturally to the African and he has songs to represent every situation. Music was therefore performed among Africans as a social event, with everyone as a part of the performance. That is to say, there was no distinction between performers and audience. In support of this Nketia writes: "In traditional African societies, music making is generally organized as social event. Public performances, therefore, take place on social occasions - that is, on occasions when members of a group or community come together for the enjoyment of leisure, for recreational activities, or for the performance of a rite, ceremony, festival, or any kind of collective activity, such as building bridges, clearing paths, going on a search party, or putting out fires - activities that, in industrialized societies, might be assigned to specialized agencies ". (Nketia, 1974:21) Even though the arrival of the Europeans in the Gold Coast was purely for a commercial purpose, they also thought it wise to introduce their religion to the people of the Gold Coast. They realized the power of music on the Ghanaian and did not hesitate to incorporate it as an effective tool of spreading their religion. According to Baeta: "The first mass was celebrated at La Mina in the Gold Coast on January 19, 1482, the first day the Portuguese landed in the Gold Coast. After hanging their flag, they built an altar and the first mass was celebrated with prayers to convert the indigenes to Christianity. That day marked the introduction of Western church and art music in Ghana" (Baeta, 1967:240). With the introduction of the European religion and music, the Europeans made every effort to discourage the indigenes about their music so as to enable them spread their culture. According to Andoh (2008:79) "The European missionaries adopted a hostile position against African music and especially drumming, linking it to pagan worship. This idea changed the minds of the local people towards their own music". University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 12 He further asserts that the most important of the music introduced by the Europeans was the hymns because it was both performed by the choirs and the congregation. The Methodist church made strides in its evangelism in the Fantiland and therefore was able to attract a greater number of the indigenes to the church with most of them being illiterates. With the growth in number of the local people in the church there was the need to indigenize the church to suit the local people. Four main innovations they adapted were the translation of most European songs to Fanti, acceptance of the Fanti lyric or the Ebibindwom, translation of the Bible to Fanti and finally giving sermons in Fanti. By 1899 the singing bands started by Rev. J. B. Anaman were singing both Fanti translations of European hymns and as well as songs composed locally. Rev. Anaman did a collection of hymns between 1893 and 1899 which included ancient Fanti songs (Andoh, 2008:103). The term Ebibindwom literally means “African songs”. It was meant to distinguish that genre of music from European music, which was considered as the original or normal musical form of the church. According to Williamson (1965) the Ebibindwom or the Fanti sacred lyrics seems to have emerged from such a context; Ebibindwom emerged very early in the history of Ghanaian Christianity. Ebibindwom was being sung even at the time of the pioneer Wesleyan missionary, Thomas Birch Freeman. This was done in-between sermons with Biblical texts to traditional tunes when they are inspired by the sermons. It was done similar to the traditional mboguo done between storytelling. Mboguo is the Akan name for songs performed intermittently during storytelling. The translation of the Methodist Hymn Book into Fanti was a great move for the church and it made it easier for winning the indigenes into the church since they could identify better with it. According to Andoh (2008:85), singing formed a very important part of the Methodist class meetings and remained an effective way of spreading Methodism in Ghana. By the singing of the British University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 13 Methodist hymns, the church carried a very effective evangelism work empowering congregations to sing hymns. This hymn singing tradition attracted and pulled a good number of people to the Methodist church. It is not known when hymn singing started in the church but its usage has been recorded a long time ago. With the introduction of European music in Ghana, a number of Ghanaian composers emerged whose music was based on the knowledge acquired from the study of the European music. Most of them wrote new hymn tunes for the already existing European text and also wrote anthems that had elements of European music. The prominent among these Ghanaian composers include Rev. J.B. Anaman, Rev. J.E. Allotey -Pappoe, Rev. Gaddiel Acquaah, O. A. Boateng, I.D. Riverson and many others. A later development of the hymn writing tradition was the translating of English hymn text into Akan as well as the writing of new music with Akan text. This development made the songs more appreciative and accessible to the indigenes of the Gold Coast. The introduction of vernacular hymns led to the increase in number of the indigenes of the Fantiland where the missionaries arrived first, joining the church. This was because the local people could identify with their own language of birth than the English language. The only problem with this development is that the texts written for the music were unfortunately not aligned in terms of the contour direction of the melodies. The pitch and direction of the text were not considered in the construction of melody. Bao (1999) defines tone as the use of pitch in language to distinguish lexical or grammatical meaning - that is, to distinguish or to inflect words. All verbal languages use pitch to express emotional and other paralinguistic information and to convey emphasis, contrast, and other such features in what is called intonation, but not all languages use tones to distinguish words or their University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 14 inflections, analogously to consonants and vowels. Languages that do have this feature are called tonal languages. Tonal languages are extremely common in Africa, East Asia, and Central America, but rare elsewhere in Asia and in Europe: as many as seventy percent of world languages may be tonal. Almost all Ghanaian languages I have knowledge of are tonal. All Akan languages are tonal because a pitch of sound is essential to its meaning. A word may have different meanings even though its spelling may be same. What will then differentiate the words, is the tone assigned to each word. An example of such a situation is the Akan word “Bra” as demonstrated below: Bra - with a descending tone will mean “come” in English Bra - with an ascending tone will mean “menstruation” in English Fromkin (1978) further explains that in most widely-spoken tonal language, tones are distinguished by their distinctive shape, known as contour, with each tone having a different internal pattern of rising and falling pitch. Many words, especially those that are monosyllabic, are differentiated solely by tone. In a multisyllabic word each syllable often carries its own tone. Important elements in a musical composition include rhythm, dynamics, harmony, melody (tune), text etc. These elements combine to give a musical composition the balanced atmosphere it needs. It is unfortunate to note that the translators of the hymn lyrics from English to Fanti concentrated only on the lyrics. The only consideration given to the music was on the meter and the syllables. The reasons for this include the fact that most of the translators were not well trained musicians and some of them were not musicians at all. Some of them were also not Ghanaian to consider the depth of the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 15 language. Again, even though there were some musicians among the translators, their training in music was based on the European hymns and anthems. The difference between the African language and the European language is that the African language is based on pitch and tone, whiles the European language is based on stress and emphasis. An example is the phrase - I need the book. If the speaker stresses on the “Book” or “need”, then that is his emphasis. The African language is based on the tone and no matter how you stress it if the tonal contour is not exact as spoken language, it does not carry the same meaning. Speech-tone and musical-tone must be definitely correlated. In a tonal language like Fanti, the text must correspond with the musical notation to make it more meaningful. The agreement of the two should include the pitch, dynamics and rhythmic conditions. 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT The Fanti translations for the English hymns fail to put music and language together in terms of pitch and melodic contour. Even though the words in the hymn are still heard, the sound is misquoted and the understanding is also not the same as sung. The melody should have the same contour direction as the spoken word and phrases. The same melody is also used for all the stanzas of the hymn with no consideration for the changing pitches of the texts in the verses of the hymns. It is therefore the intention of the researcher in this study to synchronize the creation of melodies with spoken language. The researcher realizes the fact that there is a distortion in language when melodies assigned to the text do not conform to the contour of the language. This is what the researcher seeks to make a formal effort to correct. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 16 1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The thesis seeks to: a) Suggest melodies which fits texts in terms of tonal contour as well as new melodies to suit the lyrics in the other stanzas of a hymn b) Suggest the use of appropriate time signatures for African hymn compositions that aids the flow of the language as well as suggest the use of note values that suit spoken words and phrases. 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS i. Do the tunes sung to the Fanti translations contradict the meaning of words in terms of language contour? ii. Can new melodies be written for the Fanti translations of European hymns in terms of tonal contour and direction without compromising on its beauty iii. Can new melodies be created for the stanzas of the hymns based on the contour of the text and still keep its uniqueness as one hymn or song? 1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study examines the existing musical traditions before the introduction of Western art music, as well as historical trend and changes that have existed from the introductory stage of Western art music till present. Traditional works from anonymous sources as well as works from a number of Ghanaian University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 17 composers and authors have been selected to aid this study. Musical traditions from specific Fanti spoken communities, specifically Cape Coast, Winneba and their surrounding towns and villages have been selected for this work. 1.6 LITERATURE REVIEW The primary source of literature for this thesis is the Christian As4r Ndwom (Fanti version of the Methodist Hymn Book). A great number of Ghanaian musicians have written extensively about the subject text and tune in Ghanaian composition. These authors have done enough exposition on the subject with much emphasis on the alignment of melody with text so as to achieve the natural balance between musical notes and spoken language. Works on the subject by Nketia, Agawu, Amuah, Andoh and Agordoh have been reviewed for this project. Even though their writings centre on a broader scope of all African or Ghanaian musical compositions and focuses on the future of African musical compositions in terms of the treatment of text, this project only focuses on the Christian As4r Ndwom (The Fanti version of the Methodist hymn book) and seeks to suggest that changes could be made to already existing music and text to achieve the balance between text and music. Nketia (1974) asserts that: "When texts in tone language are sung, the tones used normally in speech are reflected in the contour of the melody. Thus, melodic progression within a phrase is determined partly by intonation contour and partly by musical considerations" (Nketia, 1974:186). This explains the fact that, though the melody is important, it should not be constructed in isolation but should be done with much consideration for the language contour. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 18 Another factor to consider in writing melodies for African texts is intonation. When attention is not paid to the language intonation in writing melodies, it results in a misrepresentation or distortion of the language for both the performer and especially the listener. To this, Nketia (1974:184) further asserts that another important area in which speech factors are taken into account is that of melodic organization. Whatever the scale, attention is paid as far as possible to the intonation of the text. This is because distortion of the intonation of phrases or the tones of words might create problems for the listener, for many African languages are tone languages. It is my utmost desire to reveal the problems that arise when a little or no consideration is given the text in the construction of melodies. When words with same contour direction or pitch are given different notes other than the same pitch, there is the creation of misunderstanding in the texts, which leads to language distortion. On this area of emphasis, Nketia (1963) states that the tones of words and phrases are, therefore, of great importance and are not ignored in the construction of melodies. They guide the direction of movement; thus if a number of syllables are pronounced on a level tone, low or high, we would normally expect the melody at that point to consist of repetitions of the same note corresponding to the number of syllables pronounced on a level tone. Amuah (2012) explains further the impact of speech rhythm on music and indicates that: “Badu ensures that the length and ordering of the note values are ordered and situated by the relative lengths of the spoken version with the text". He again asserts that "Annan writes his melodies situating appropriate tonal inflections on the text in order not to blur the meaning of his melodies for his audiences". This is a very important area of this study and I want to explore the practicability of the Fanti language. A careful selection of note values for the texts of music gives it the natural flow as experienced in the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 19 speaking of the language. The performer as well as the listener is able to get a clearer meaning of the words because it is expressed in the same manner as spoken language. Again, on the issue of the relation between language and tone, Agawu (1995:34) makes a case for the usage of glides or glissandi in writing melodies to fit the language contour. He argues that: “It is something of simplification of the actual sound structure of Ewe and Siwu, but if we keep in mind the essential fact that the scheme of speech tones is relational, then, from a musical point of view, such a distortion is acceptable as long as relative and rigidly contextual notions of "high" and "low” are applied throughout the analysis. In addition to this relatively fixed position, various glides or glissandi are used to negotiate the transitions between adjacent syllables. Some words require a glide between low and high, others require one between mid and high, while still others involve an uninflected juxtaposition of discrete tone levels. A resultant intonational contour becomes another feature of spoken Ewe and Siwu (both languages spoken in the Volta Region of Ghana). These phonological features obviously provide the song composer with a set of interesting pre - compositional constraints. Not surprisingly, different composers react differently to these constraints." The Fanti language has many words and syllables that make use of Glissandi or glides. And to gain the intended meaning in music composition, notes must be written to express the effect on language. Agawu (1995:35) further states that when Northern Ewe composers set words to music, when they seek - in one view of the compositional process - to realize the musical implications of language, they are of course concerned with both the sound and the meaning of words. There is little question, however, that sound engages them- more directly and practically than does meaning. I therefore want to provide compositional guidelines for composers and students of music to tackle the area of text and tune in African compositions. Melodies can be constructed on the text and maintaining the lexical flow of the language by writing musical notes that represents the contour of the African language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 20 1.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The study is centred on the use of text in Fanti to sing European composed tunes in which an intercultural activity occurs. Interculturalism in music occurs when elements from two or more cultures are integrated. Simply put, there could be a relationship between cultures and the key words to consider will be exchange and interaction. Interculturalism has to do with finding a common language or understanding by which we can describe commonalities between different cultures and by that, look for ways to integrate both. In this case Western tunes are sung to African text and there is therefore an integration. When the Europeans introduced hymn singing to the Africans, they received the hymns based on their understanding and the sensibility of their understanding on their traditional songs. This is what made possible the idea of parody (reworking of a song). Akin Euba's theory of "creative ethnomusicology"(1989:121-123) which he later called "Contemporary Interculturalism" (1993:6) gives four categories into which Neo-African art music may be classified. For the purposes of this study, I adopt the second and third categories as a framework namely:  Music whose thematic material is borrowed from African sources but which is otherwise Western in idiom and instrumentation.  Music in which African elements form an integral part of the idiom (through the use of African instruments, or texts, or stylistic concepts and so forth) but which also includes non- African ideas. Another theory for the study is "Contrafactum" which is defined as the substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the music. The practice of substituting text gain prominence in the middle - ages and it occurred frequently with the composition of new hymnodic poetry. After the 15th century, the term Contrafactum almost always indicates the replacement of a secular text by a University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 21 sacred one in order to create a piece suitable for devotion or liturgy. Contrafactum is achieved by substituting original and existing text without a change to the original music. An example here is, Pentecostals in Ghana adopted the tune to the hymn "Lead kindly light" by substituting the original text with their own text. This example is cited because it is an extreme case of Contrafactum, where certain hymns were translated into the local language. Some of the texts of the hymns were reworked altogether. This theory was chosen because of the nature of the study wherein, texts composed for Western tunes are substituted with Fanti text. 1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The significance of this study is to provide a way of aligning text with music in hymn writing to have a balanced relationship coherent with the characteristics of the Fanti language. This will further help the congregation to follow and learn what the choir sings with little or no difficulty. Most of the times we have our congregations sing notes that are different from the original and it is because they sing with their emotions which is linked to their spoken language. They sing according to their expectation of how the melody contour should be built around the lyrics. The findings from this study will aid composers write music that suits spoken language. The findings will also assist music teachers and young or would-be composers find a practical approach of teaching and learning melody writing in the African context. 1.9 METHODOLOGY The research is made up of four major activities: Data collection, transcription and analysis of existing African songs namely: Obi ne wiadze (somebody's world), Nkyirimma ny1 bi (the new University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 22 generation should contribute their quota) and Monkamfo no (Extol him). It is followed by the analysis of three hymns from the Christian As4r Ndwom namely: H1n koma, nsa nye ndze (Now thank we all our God), Nyimpa a hom w4 wiadze nyina (All people that on earth do dwell) and Konyim As4r n'Ewuradze (Head of thy church triumphant). Finally, I have composed three songs for the selected hymns based on the points raised in the study. The research makes use of both data from both primary and secondary sources. The data collection comprises basically library and archival studies. Articles, books, audio-visual materials collected from the library of the Music Department and the African studies library, both of the University of Ghana are very important sources of information. Authentic internet websites are also sources of information for this research. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 23 CHAPTER TWO HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHRISTIAN AS$R NDWOM 2.1 PREAMBLE This chapter provides a historical record of factors and happenings that led to the compilation of the Christian As4r Ndwom, the Fanti version of the Methodist Hymn Book. The chapter begins with musical activities before the arrival of the Europeans and by far, the introduction of Christianity. It discusses some of the traditional musical cultures that existed before the introduction of Christianity. This will aid us to know the unadulterated music forms that existed before the Christian influence and the current state of our music development The chapter further discusses the impact of Christianity on the music of Ghana as well as how the traditional music of the Fantes in-turn impacted the music of the church. The introduction of local music with sacred text in the church is discussed. The chapter also outlines the contribution of Fanti church music composers to the development of the music of the Methodist Church, Ghana. Finally, this chapter displays the role of the singing bands in the localization of the music of the church which eventually led to the idea of compiling a Hymn Book in the Fanti for the worship of the church. 2.2 MUSIC PERFORMANCES IN THE FANTILAND BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY Ghanaians were used to music before the arrival of the Europeans. The performances of music were much of a social activity. Every social gathering or activity was accompanied by some sort of music. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 24 The activities were wide-range and including naming ceremonies, funerals and marriages. Music provides a form of entertainment which employs an all and sundry participation. Making music in traditional African societies usually fit peculiar purposes and not every music could be performed anytime without recourse to the situation. A lot of musical traditions existed among different tribes in Ghana. An example is the Apatampa music and dance among the Fantes of Central Region of Ghana. It employed the role of the lead singer and a chorus. The lead singer does a call for the chorus to respond. The response is done by both the dancers and audiences. Technically there is no audience because everybody ends up participating. For the purpose of the dance, the Apatampa is strictly performed in the 68 time signature. Traditional musical performances that existed among other tribes in Ghana before the introduction of Christianity include Avihawo performed by the people of Volta Region and Nnwonkoro performed by the Twi speaking Akan communities. Nnwonkoro is a musical tradition popular in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions of Ghana. It is performed by women but in modern days, men accompany the women on the drums. From a personal experience of Nnwonkoro as a musical style, it centres its themes usually on relations, loved ones and prominent people in the society. Lyrics may be insulting, encouraging, criticisms, about death and other areas of life. It is usually performed at funerals. Its performance takes the form of a solo and chorus, with the solo usually starting and the chorus responding. The chorus may not always be a response to what the solo sings but may begin another phrase or line. The chorus mostly harmonizes in thirds and sixths. A very important feature is hand clapping by the performers. Avihawo which is literally translated as crying songs, are funeral dirges performed by the Northern Ewe people of the Volta Region. The music is reserved for situations of mourning. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 25 “The Avihawo (crying songs) of the Northern Ewe is one among many genres in which the pattern of closure may well be functionally motivated. Melodies may finish in diminutive rhythms, or an utterance may be brought to a swift end, often accelerating toward the end. Ewe crying songs rarely linger in closing; more typically, they finish rather hastily, in part to register the gravity of the tragedy that has befallen the singer, and in part to install a complementary silence at the end of the performance to allow singers to contemplate the verbal message” (Agawu, 2016: 205) Another popular Akan choral music tradition that existed before the coming of the Europeans is the Asafo music performed almost in all Akan societies. Turkson (1972:2) asserts that: “Asafo is an ancient warrior organization that exists in all Akan societies of Ghana. It started as a force to combat aggression. The Asafo societies function in a number of ways: political, military, social and religious. As a political unit of the society it has the right to enstool and destool a chief. In its social role, members of the institution organize themselves into search parties and undertake communal labour to improve the community. The objective of any Asafo in the past was the defense of the society, of the aged, infirm, women, children, and of property. Among the Fantes this could be said to be the primary aim of their Asafos; thus only strong and able-bodied men were obliged to join the institution.” Asafo music is performed as a call and response with a lead singer or singers doing the call and the chorus doing a response. The melody in Asafo is mostly spontaneous and can be improvised at any time. Other choral musical traditions include the $mp1 music performed by the people of Winneba. It is usually performed at funerals but recently 4mp1 is linked to other social functions because the texts of the music performed are mostly about issues happening in the community. They sing songs to admonish people, praise or talk about issues of general concern. Its performance takes a form of call and response. The lead singer calls and the chorus respond usually singing a third above or below the melody. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 26 Even though, these musical forms were performed before the arrival of Europeans, most or all of these traditions still exist and are performed. 2.3 CHORAL MUSIC PERFORMANCES AT THE ERA OF THE MISSIONARIES It is a known fact that the introduction of Christianity in the Gold Coast marked a turning point in the music performance in the Gold Coast. They introduced their Western art music to the indigenes who got attracted to the European music and started performing them. It is as a result of this introduction that hymn texts were translated from English to Fanti for the use of Fanti Christians. This development led to the compilation of the Christian As4r Ndwom, the Fanti version of the Methodist Hymn Book. Quoting from the words of Baeta: “The Portuguese first set foot in the Gold Coast, Elmina (La Mina), on January 19,1482 and they suspended the banner of Portugal from the bough of a lofty tree, at the foot of which they erected an altar, and the whole company assisted at the first mass that was celebrated on the Guinea Coast, and prayed for the convention of natives from idolatry, and the perpetual prosperity of the church which they intended to erect on the spot” (Baeta, 1967:240) And in the words of Debrunner, “it was on this occasion that the first mass was sung in Ghana” (Debrunner, 1962:17). It is therefore the beginning of the European church setting in Ghana together with other Western choral music forms to the Ghanaians which have survived till today. Choral music remained very active in the church because it was incorporated in all activities of the church. However, traditional choral music never died out and continued outside the church. Nketia assets that: “The effect of transplanting Western Music into Africa was threefold. First, the continuity of traditional music in its unadulterated form outside the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 27 adopted Western institutions was unintentionally assured by the exclusion of traditional musicians and their music from the church and educational institutions, the most direct source of Western musical influence. Most of the traditional political, social, and cultural institutions that supported traditional music flourished in spite of the presence of Christianity, Western cultural institutions and colonialism.” (Nketia, 1974:17). Choral Music further spread to the mission schools and colleges. Most or all schools began forming school choirs to feature on important days and occasions of national interest. This development spread to the industries as well, and many companies and organizations formed choirs to perform at functions of the organization. In support of this Amuah (2013) writes: “As the choral music genre showed promise, schools and colleges whose instruction were all inclined to Christianity merged with the performance. Not only did church choirs, schools and colleges perform choral music, so also have industrial choirs, especially in the urban factories and organizations. The Vocal Bands and Minstrel choirs, choral groups that emerged in the mid 20th Century as well as broadcasting stations have also contributed to developments in the performance of choral music by devoting slots on their programmes to air choral music performed by choral groups”. A mention is made of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation which included choral music renditions in their programmes and continues to do that presently. 2.4 TRADITIONAL GHANAIAN MUSIC AND THE BEGINNING OF CHORAL COMPOSITIONS IN THE METHODIST CHURCH GHANA The western style of music introduced to the people of Ghana with the introduction of Christianity yielded a positive result in the area of composition. A lot of Ghanaians were trained in the Western art music form to either play an instrument or learn the rudiments of music. With time, a lot of indigenous Ghanaians learnt to compose music in the Western style, with many composing tunes to University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 28 various hymns. This is not to say that Ghanaians had no musical styles before the introduction of Christianity. Ghanaians had their own styles and traditions in terms of music performance before the arrival of the Europeans. Evidence of this is found in the words of Rev’d Joseph Dunwell, who started the Wesleyan mission work in Ghana. After his first sermon he commented that “My feelings on this occasion, I cannot tell...They sung a psalm, which delighted me. I preached them a short sermon” (Bartels, 1965:8). This means singing was already a practice in the Gold Coast before the arrival of the Missionaries. The difference will be in the style and performance. The introduction of the British Methodist hymns had a positive role in the evangelism of the Methodist Church. More souls were won through the singing of hymns. Congregational singing was very important to the Methodists. Even though, the hymns were in English, the preachers used interpreters to explain the lyrics of the hymns to the uneducated members of the church and also on evangelism missions. Andoh writes that so powerful was hymn-singing an evangelizing tool for the mission that a large number of people were converted and became attracted to the Methodist church (Andoh, 2008:86) The Wesleyan mission saw the need to incorporate local songs into its worship. This was done because they realized that the indigenes already had their music traditions which always revived their souls when performed. The Missionaries had no intention to document these songs to be used but just allowed it so the Fanti people will not feel their culture abandoned as was earlier done. To this some traditional songs were adapted and later given the broader name Ebibindwom (Akan sacred lyric). Turkson (1972) explains that there are two types of the traditional adaptation in terms of lyrics. The old and the new, wherein the old is based on traditional lyrics already available by changing and University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 29 introducing keywords like Ewuradze Nyankop4n ( God the Lord ) and other Christian words to replace the old lyrics. The new is based on lyrics or stories direct from the Bible (Turkson, 1972:6-7). He further explains the reasons for the acceptance and growth of the Fanti lyric reveals evidence of social change in a new development of a musical type without evidence of change of musical culture. In determining the causes of social change, it is necessary to consider society as a system in which there are internal and external interacting components which are constantly working. The internal components are made up of certain psychological factors which motivate members of the society to act while the external components consist of certain environmental factors. On the other hand, however favourable the external components may be, no change will be effective unless the psychological drives and dispositions of the individual are involved. Change is an idea which is given very concrete external expressions. As a matter of fact, the external component, with its ideational, cognitive emotional content and the internal component with all that it offers, interact to effect change. In Africa we have evidence of early contact with the external world, and also contacts of African peoples with one another. These contacts have produced new musical values as well as social values and customs. Very often these contacts have resulted in both new musical hybrids and re- creation of entirely new musical types as for example, the Fanti Sacred Lyric (Turkson, 1972:1). Even though Ebibindwom evolved among the Fantes, it is possible that it developed from contacts with other Ghanaian cultures or ethnic groups. The late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century saw the emergence and rise of Ghanaian composers. It must be noted that compositions by these Ghanaians had all or almost all of its traits from the European church music. They were used to the European hymns tradition so much, that they started writing in that style. They wrote hymn tunes and other original compositions mostly in Ghanaian languages. Composers that gained prominence in the Methodist church were Reverends University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 30 J.B. Anaman, Gaddiel Acquaah and J.E. Allotey-Pappoe. Other great composers whose compositions have contributed to the development of music in the church include Isaac Daniel Loo, I. D. Riverson and O.G Blankson (Andoh, 2008). These composers wrote tunes for the already existing texts from other Hymn Books, composed new tunes for their own composed texts and also wrote other songs. They also wrote sacred texts to replace text of some already existing secular music. A special mention is made of Rev. John B. Anaman. According to Andoh (2008), he is credited with starting the singing Band in the Methodist Church before 1899. Rev. Anaman was the first to come up with the idea of singing bands singing in their mother tongue accompanied by dancing. The leadership of church disagreed with the new development and that led to a rift between Rev. Anaman and the leadership of the church. The church leadership tried to distract the activities of the singing, leading to Rev. Anaman breaking away from the Methodist Church to found the Nigritian Episcopal Church. The significance of Rev. J.B Anaman is the fact that as early as 1893 he had published a collection of hymns which included Tsetse Mfantse Ndwom (Ancient Fanti songs) and Nanaam (ancestors). (Andoh, 2008). The Rev. Jacob B. Anaman translated some English hymns into Fanti and Rev. Terry Coppin, a missionary, also started the first Sunday school as a nursery in the Church. Some of the Sunday school members learned to read and write the Fanti language. Eventually, a Singing Band grew out of the school which led to the singing of vernacular songs in the church. Band Members used to accompany preachers to outstations or keep vigil at funerals with hymn singing. The practice led to the publication of the first Fanti Hymn Book entitled Nkwagye As4r Ndwom ( Church songs of salvation ) in 1893 (Methodist Church Ghana, 2015). University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 31 From the discussion above, it is clear that the work started by these above mentioned Ghanaian composers led to the incorporation of music of Ghanaian origin into the church. The reception that the Ghanaian compositions received in the church led to the consideration by the church leadership to officially commence work on the collection of translated hymns and finally the compilation of the Christian As4r Ndwom first published in 1937. 2.5 THE FORMATION OF THE SINGING BAND In 1860 an eminent merchant, R.J. Ghartey, who was a native of Anomabo visited England where he came into contact with a “Temperance Society” in a Methodist Church. On his return to the Gold Coast (Ghana) in 1861, Ghartey formed a Temperance society at Anomabo. He also built a water reservoir which remained the main source of good water supply to the community until pipe-borne water was connected to the town in 1939. Ghartey’s society came to be known as Ak4nomsu (water- drinking people detested alcohol). He then organized a section of the Temperance Society into a ‘Band of Hope’ with the main objective of singing in the vernacular (Fanti) at church service (Methodist Church Ghana, 2015). According to the historical account of the Methodist Church Ghana (2015), Ghartey introduced a version of the English ladies blouse for the female members of his singing group to cover the upper part of their body. This fashion eventually came to be known as Kabas44to (cover shoulder) that spread throughout the country and even to Nigeria. Rev. Anaman later organized a Singing Band at Cape Coast Wesley Church in 1889. Long After, Egya Kwodwo Abokyi (J. Hayford) developed the Band at Wesley Church, Cape Coast right through University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 32 to the early 1940s. Egya Abokyi a well-built man of average height and dark in complexion; a stumpy man with short neck and a bold, manly voice; a gifted singer who could sing loudly verses of hymns from memory with unique melody of his own. This unique talent won him the accolade ‘Abokyi Part’. Thereafter, the following prominent bandsmen caught Egya Abokyi’s spirit and developed the Band Further. They were Egyanka Abraham, Paa Branwell, John Andzie Quainoo, Paa Butler, W. Bessa Simons, Kobina Ackson, E. B. Peters all of Cape Coast. Others were Papa Aidoo of Saltpond, Kwesi Yawson and Madam Yelleh from Anomabo, and Paa Acquaah Harrison of Kumasi Wesley. (Methodist Church Ghana, 2015). From the records above, it is clear that the activity of the singing bands contributed immensely to the development of music in the church. The singing bands were well received by the indigenous people because they could identify with the local songs they sang. They made a lot of following amongst the local people. Their activities mounted more pressure on leadership to see the need to do more translation of English Hymns into Fanti. It is the works of the composers earlier mentioned and the work of the singing band’s that spearheaded the collection of locally translated and composed Hymns. 2.6 THE CHRISTIAN AS$R NDWOM - THE FANTI VERSION OF THE METHODIST HYMN BOOK At the Methodist synod of 1935, the Rev. F.C.F. Grant, who later became the chairman of the Methodist Church Ghana, was tasked to translate hymns from the British Methodist Hymn Book. He also appealed to ministers and lay-men with much knowledge in literature to assist in the translation of hymns. Rev. Grant and his team were able to translate a great number of hymns into Fanti. He also University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 33 added his own compositions and those of Rev. Gaddiel R. Acquaah and Rev. A.B Dickson. These two ministers were of a great importance to the work of Rev. Grant. (Christian As4r Ndwom Fofor, 2012) The collection of hymns by the Rev. Grant and his team was named Christian As4r Ndwom (songs of the Christian Church) and was accepted by the synod of 1937 for worship of the church. The work of translation was still ongoing, and the Rev. Grant continued with his team to do more translation of hymns into the Fanti Language. These new translations were added to the 1937 book, and a bigger collection was accepted by the synod of 1962, still with the name Christian As4r Ndwom Fofor, 2012) The translation of British English Hymns to Fanti language started as far back as 1835. William De- Graft was the first, to translate a number of hymns from the numerous hymn books brought from England by the Rev. Joseph Dunwell with the help of a few friends. William and his colleagues knew a great number of songs from the books brought from England by Rev. Dunwell and spent days and nights to translate them from English to Fanti. They first made a small book collection with which the local people worshiped, together with some traditional African songs later to be called Ebibindwom. Rev. Jacob B. Anaman translated more of the hymns brought from England into the Fanti Language. He also wrote a lot of songs himself. He later compiled the hymns translated by William De-Graft and his colleagues, his own translations and added his new compositions into a Hymn book entitled Nkwagye Ndwom (Songs of Salvation) in 1893. The Rev. Andrew W. Parker also did a lot of Fanti translation in the year 1927. He tasked the educated Ghanaians, as well as Revered Ministers to translate a few more English hymns to Fanti. He collected the translated hymns into the book and University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 34 named it the Fanti Hymnary, which members graciously accepted and used for worship for a long time (Christian As4r Ndwom Fofor, 2015). The Christian As4r Ndwom has three main sections namely: The Chant, the Hymns and Ebibindwom. The Canticles are sacred texts performed by chanting on the principles of speech rhythm developed by the Anglican Church. The broader name given to it is Ancient hymns, Canticles and Psalms. Others are taken from other books of the Bible and are referred to as Canticles. There are other sacred texts which were not taken from the Bible but other sources, and these are called Ancient Hymns. The Christian As4r Ndwom has four of the Ancient hymns and canticles and they are the Venite Exultemus Domino, Tedeum Laudamus, Benedictus and Jubilate Deo. The Hymns are numbered from 1 to 328 with various divisions into many Christian themes like Ntonton nye Ayeyi (Adoration and Worship), Nyank4pon (God) and Sumsum Kr4nkr4n (The Holy Spirit). The third section is made up of Ebibindwom (African sacred Lyric) numbering 329 to 344. Liturgies and prayers for Methodist morning services were added to the Christian As4r Ndwom. Other Orthodox Christian creeds and prayer were also added namely: The Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles Creed, the Doxology and the Benediction. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 35 CHAPTER THREE TEXT AS A TOOL IN MELODY WRITING 3.1 TEXT AND MELODY As discussed in the first chapter, most African languages are tonal centered. They make use of pitch rather than stress. They are made up of lower, mid and upper pitches. The Fanti language is part of the Akan tribal languages and is no exception to the tonal centeredness of the African language. This means that tonal inflections in the Akan language is very important and it defines the meaning of every word. An example of a word in Fanti which differs in meaning based on the pronunciation is aber. Aber – means time when pronounced from a lower pitch to a higher pitch Figure 1 Aber (upward pronunciation) Aber - means ripe when pronounced on the same levels of pitch Figure 2 Aber (same level pronunciation) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 36 Most European songs are based on the melody but African music depends on the text and the tone is secondary. In other words, the tone is secondary to the text. The melody is woven around the text. Nketia (1974:184) asserts that: “Another important area in which speech factors are taken into account is that of melodic organization. Whatever the scale, attention is paid as far as possible to the intonation of the text. This is because distortion of the intonation of phrases or the tones of words might create problems for the listener, for many African languages are tone languages”. In the Fanti language, tones are distinguished by their distinctive shape, known as contour, with each tone having a different internal pattern of rising and falling pitch. Many words, especially those that are monosyllabic, are differentiated solely by tone. In a multisyllabic word, each syllable often carries its own tone. Therefore, the contour of the words in a composition should inform the melodic pattern and not the other way round. The hymns in the Christian As4r Ndwom are sung to European tunes whose melodies were written with little or no regards to the meaning of the lyrics used for them. In most cases, the composers of the tunes are different from the authors of the words. In assigning a tune to the words of any European hymn, the only consideration is the metrical balance, example, a four-line melody should synchronize with lyrics as a common meter, long meter or short meter. The same principle was applied to the development of the Christian Asor Ndwom. A metrical balance between lyrics and the European melody was done. Words were translated from the English hymns and already existing European tunes were assigned to them. Unfortunately, the Fanti words were given the same treatment as European words but it should not be so because it is a tonal language and the contour of the language must determine the musical notes assigned to it. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 37 Studying the melody from a traditional Fanti song in Figure 1 below entitled obi ne wiadze (Somebody’s world), the language contour determines the melody. In the first five bars, the Statement obi ne wiadze na rey1 no d1m yi? (Is this what you are doing to somebody's world?) Is enforced by given the exact contour direction that depicts spoken language. It must be stated that there is no exact and specific notes of the scale to be used for specific African words but rather the upward or downward direction must depict spoken works. If for instance the statement obi ne wiadze na rey1 no d1m yi were to be put on a three line scale, we will have something like the scale below: Figure 3 Obi ne wiadze (On a three line scale) Figure 4 Obi Ne Wiadze (Composer Anonymous) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 38 Another element that must be considered in writing melodies to suit the Fanti language is the use of Glissando or Glissandi. In musical terms, it is the rapid sliding upwards or downwards of a musical note. This means, when a note for example on C3 rapidly slides to F2, there is a glissando. The Fanti language uses a lot of Glissandi and in writing melodies, care must be taken of such words. Example is found in the melody of Obi ne wiadze in Figure 1 above. In Bars 11 and 12, Daa-kye (sometime to come) the two syllables all have glides in their contours. It reoccurs in Bars 19 and 20. Another example is found in the music below extracted from the work of J.H Nketia. Figure 5 Monkamfo No (except from the melody of Nketia, J. H. K.) In Bar 2 of Monkamfo no the word ye is given two notes to paint it as a glissando. It is again repeated in Bar 6. The composer carefully builds his melody on spoken words and does a fine work on the usage of notes to portray the presence of glissandi in the African language. In the first stanza of one of the hymns to be analyzed in this study H1n koma, nsa nye ndze (Now thank we all our God), I have provided the tune below for my analysis. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 39 Figure 6 H1n Koma, Nsa Nye Ndze (Melody with Fanti Text) The European melody above can be used for other hymn texts which have the same meter. The melody even though specifically written for the words of the hymn above does not fit the Fanti translation in terms of spoken language. African language dictates construction of melody and no two texts automatically most often fits the same melody. A further explanation is given in the analyses of the first stanza of the hymn above. H1n koma, nsa, nye ndze as seen in the melody has the first three syllables on the same pitch and the next two syllables also on the same pitch at a higher level. As discussed earlier, since the Fanti language is as tonal as other African languages, the rise and fall of the pitches are very important to make the language as natural as it should be. H1n – which is interpreted in English as ‘our’ is a word that is made up of two pitches and used what is called Glissando to get the full pronunciation of the word. Koma – Translated as heart should either have same sound for two syllable word or two sounds- with the second being higher than the first. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 40 Nsa nye ndze – nsa can be broken into halves to have N-sa. If that is done, N should be lower than the Sa. Nye should be in the medium and Ndze could also be splitted and be treated same as Nsa or be together with a glissando beginning from bottom to top. Y1dze da Nyame ase – Y1dze should have a lower to higher relation, Da should be lower than Y1. Nyame should be low to high in relation, and ase with its first letter mostly linked to the last syllable of the former word but se should be lower than Nya. $ay1 anwanwadze – $a is a glissando word beginning from low to high and ye is lower than 4a. Anwanwadze has the first three syllables on same lower note and dze is higher. Ofi h1n na ne yamu – Ofi should have the two syllables on same level, either low to low or high to high relationship, H1n is a glissando word from low to high. Na ne ye mu should have low –high-high-low. $dze d4 aky1dze – 4dze d4 should have a low-low-high relation, aky1dze should also have a low-high- high relation. Ehyira h1n kwan nyina mu – Ehyira should have all three syllables on the same pitch, hen is a glissando word from low to high. Kwan nyinaa mu is high-low-high-low. Na 4da ho y1 h1ndze – Na 4da ho y1 has a low-low-low-high-low relationship. H1n is a glissando word from low to high and dze is low. For a complete tonal and contour analysis of the three (3) selected hymns from the Christian As4r Ndwom, I have made a categorization for the tonal direction of the texts. The categories range from Low 2 (L2), Low 1 (L 1), Middle (M), High 1 (H1) and High 2 (H2). University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 41 L2 represents the lowest of tonal contour and H2 representing the highest in tonal contour. Under each word is a description of the tone or contour direction of the word. Table 1. H1n Koma, Nsa nye Ndze STANZA 1 H1n Ko-ma n-sa Nye n-dze L1 – M (Glissando) L2-M M-H1 M L1-M Y1dze Da Nya-me a-se M-H1 L1 L1-M L2-L2 $ay1 An-wan-wa-dze M- H1(Glissando), L1 L1-L1-L1-M Wia-dze Dzi Ho e-hu-ru-si H1-H1 M H1 M-M-M- H1 O-fi H1n Na ne Yam H2-H2 M-H1 L1 M M- University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 42 (Glissando) L2(Glissando) $dze D4 Aky1dze L2-L2 H1 M-H1-H1 E-hyi-ra H1n Kwan Nyi-na-m M-M-M L1- H1M(Glissando) M L1-M-L2 Na 4da Ho Y1 H1ndze L1 L1-L1 M L2 L2-L1 (Glissando), L2 STANZA 2 $ky1so Nyankop4n M-L2-L2 L2-L1-L2 $nka H1n Ho da Nyi-na H1-H1 L1- M(Glissando) M M L2-L1 $mfa Ahot4 Kr4nn M-M L2-L1—L1 L1 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 43 $ndom H1n a-ko-ma daa M, M- L1(Glissando) L1- M(Glissando) L1-L1-M M $nkora H1n Ná-dom-m M-M-L2 L2 M-L1-M2 On-gya H1n n-kon-ton- kyem M-M L2 L2-L1-L1, L1- L2 (Glissando) Na 4mpa H1n Mbu-su M M-M L2 L2-L1 Se-sei Na n-daam-ba so H1-M (Glissando), M- L1(Glissando) L2 L2- L2- 1(Glissando) –L2 L2 STANZA 3 A-ye-yi Nye Ndaa-se University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 44 M-L2-L1 M L2-L2-L1 $nka Nya-me Sor E-gya M-M L2-L1 H2-M L1-M Nye Ne Ba Kor-to- noo M M M M-M-M Nye Nya-me Sunsum Kr4nkr4 n M L1-M L2-L2 L1-L1 $korsa Nyankop4n M-H1- L1(Glissando), L1 L2-L1-L2 Sor Nye a-saa-se S4r No H2-M (Glissando) H2 L1-L1- M(Glissando), M L2 L2 Mbr1 Ahy1se 4tse n’ University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 45 Table 2. Nyimpa a hom w4 Wiadze nyina L2-L2 L2-L1-L1 L1-L1 $tse D1m Afeb44 L1-L1 L1-M (Glissando) L2-l2-l2 HYMN 2 Stanza 1 Nyim-pa Hom W4 Wia-dze Nyi-naa H2-H2-M (Glissando) H1 H1 M-M L2-L1 Hom Mfa En-yi-gye n-dze N-tow n-dwom H1 H1 M-H1-H1 L1-M M-M-L1 (Glissando) L2-L1 Hom Mfa Nyi Nyanko p4n Ay1w H2 H2 H2 M-H1-M L1-M Hom Mbra Nén-yim hom Mbe-dzi D1w University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 46 H2 H2-M (Glissando) H1-H1-M (Glissando) H1 H1-L1 M Stanza 2 E-wu-ra-dze Y1 Nya-me Am-pa M-M-M-H1 L1 L1-M L2-L1 $noara Na 4y11 H1n H1-H1-H1 L1 M-M-L1 (Glissando) L2 Y1y1 Nedze 4nyen H1n Daa M-M H1-M H1-L1 L1 H1 Né`-dzi-dzi-bea Do n-guan Nye H1n H1-L1-M-L1 L2 L2-L1 L1 L1 Stanza 3 O Hom Nh1n Náponk1 se Mu H1-L1 H1 H1- H1-L1-L1- L2 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 47 (Glissando) L1(Glissando) M Hom Mbe-dzi D1w Ná-ban- gua-do H1 H1-H1 M M-L1-M- L2 Hom Nhyi-ra’n Nyi Ne Dzin ay1w H1 H1-L1 H1 H1 H1 L1-M Na H1n Nya-me Fa-ta Ndaa-se M M-H1 (Glissando) L1-M L2-L2 L2-L1 Stanza 4 Osiand1 Ewuradze Y1 pa M-H2-M (Glissando), H1 M-M-M-H2 H1 H1 Néhumb4b4r So Tsim H4 Daa H2-M-H1-M M L2 L1 L1 No No-kwar-dzi Si Pi Ampa University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 48 Table 3. Konyim As4r N’Ewuradze HYMN 3 STANZ A 1 Kon-yim As4r N’Ewura dze M-H2 H2-H1 H1-L1-L1- M Y1dze D1w Yi Wo Ay1w H2 M-M-H1 L2 L2 L2-L1 Na 4nnk4b4 a-dze a-ra Da M M-H1-H1 L2-L2 L1-L1 L2 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 49 M-M H2 L1 L1 L1-M Y1 W4 Ha Yi M M M M Y1b4tow n-dwom M-H2,H2- M(Glissando) M-H1 D1 En-yim- nyam-mu- fo No H1-M (Glissando) M-M-H1- L2-L1 L1 Y1hy1 a-se Ha a-ra H2-M M-H1 H1 H1-H1 Ma a-ko-ma Na N-dze Do M M-M-H1 L1 L1-M L2 Ke-kam Dzen-dzen Yi Nya-me Ay1w M-H2 M- H1(Glissan L1 L1-M M-L1 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 50 do), H1 W4 H1n n-kwa-ho- san n-tsi L1 L1-M L2-L1-L1- L1 L1-L1 STANZ A 2 Y1da Fo-na Fo-no-noo Mu Yi H2-H2 M-H1 H1-L1-M L1 L1 Na Y1nam o-gya mu Yi M M-M-L2 (Glissando ) L2-L1 L2 L2 Ye-hyi-ra Wo D4 A M-M-H1 H1 M M-L2 (Glissando) On-yim H1n nda M-M-L2 (Glissando) L2-L1 (Glissando L1 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 51 ) Na Daa 4dze H1n B1n Wo L1 L1 L1-L1 L1 L2 L1 Y1b4 H1n Nsam’ Dzi e-hu-ru-si H2-M M-H1 (Glissando ) H1-L1 (Glissando ) L2 L2-L2-L2- L1 W4 Wé-nyim- tse-wee No Mu M H1-L1-L1- M M L2 Wo D4 A 4maa Y1y11 Wo dze n’ H2 H1 H1-M (Glissando ) H1-H1-L1 (Glissando) M-M- L2(Glissan do) L1-L2 B4kora H1n W4 Wo Nky1n Daa M-L2-L1 L2 L2 L1 L1 L1 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 52 STANZ A 3 $wo N ye Wo Nkor4fo Nam M-M M-H2 H2 L1-L1-M L2 N-gyi-gye Né-su-yi- rim M-M-H1 H1-M-H1- H1- L1(GLISSA NDO) Eb1n H1n Yi H1-H1-L1( GLISSANDO) M M Yen-ko-su-ro M-H2-M-H1 A-man-dze-hu Gya-ta- naa L1-L1-L1-M L2-L2-L1 Wia-dze N-ye B4n n-ye a-bon- University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 53 sam H2-H2 H1-H2 M-H1 (GLISSAN DO) L1-M L2-L2-M Won-ko-tum e-si H1n m-pa M-H1-H1-L1 (GLISSANDO) L1-L1 L1 L1-M Y1nam Wo Do M-M H1 L1 B1tsew H4n Mu H1-H1-L1 (GLISSANDO) L1-M (GLISSAN D) L2 Na Y1atow Ko-nyim n-dwom No M L2-L2 L2-L1 L2-L1 L1 STANZ A 4 H1n Gye-dzi Hu En-yim-yam A University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 54 M-H1 (GLISSANDO) H1-H1 L1 L1-L1-M M-L2 (GLISSAN DO) E-dze B4dom H1n Bio No M-M M-M-L2 (GLISSAN DO) L2 L1-L2 (GLISSANDO ) L2 Mbea-mu-dua n’ Ny1 hwee M-H1-M L1-M L2 A-ka-tua Pa A L1-L1-L1 H1 H1-L1 (GLISSAN DO) E-dze e-si H1n En-yim n-tsi H1-H1 H1-L1 L1-M (GLISSAN DO) M-M-L1 (GLISSANDO ) L1-L1 S1 n-daam- ba Y1b1fata A University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 55 M M-M-H2 (GLISSAN DO) – H1 H1-H2-H2- L1 L1 Ye-bo-hu Wo D1 Ste-phen M-H1-H1 M H2-M (GLISSAN DO) H1-L1 O-hun Wo W4 H1-H1-L1 M L2 Nya-me Nyim-fa L2-L1 L1-L1 D1 e-re-gye H1n Ak4 Sor L1-L2 (GLISSANDO) M-L1-L1 L1 L1-M M-L2 (GLISSAN DO) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 56 3.2 SPEECH RHYTHM Speech rhythm in the African language is very important, as it deals with the durational relationships between different units of speech. A sentence or a phrase can be broken down into units called syllables, and each syllable has its value in terms of duration independent of the other syllables in the phrase. Speech rhythm in the Fanti language is a figure that must not be overlooked. The English language is concerned with stress and once the speaker is able to stress and articulate words he intends doing so on, the value or duration is of little concern but the African language considers the value of notes to make the language meaningful. In European melodies like the one below, the value of notes do not correspond with spoken words and the only consideration is that notes are metrically balanced. Figure 7: How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (Melody with English Text) The Fanti language is much concerned with rhythms of spoken words. Musical notes must be ordered in terms of rhythmic values to correlate with spoken words. In studying tunes used for the Fanti translations, there is a clear point that the speech rhythm of the Fanti language was not considered and an example is found below: University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 57 Figure 8: Mbr1 Jesus Ne Dzin Dua Y1 D1w (Melody with Fanti text) Studying the melody above, one can see that the values of notes given to the syllables are completely out of sync with spoken words. The note duration is mostly very large in value than what pertains in normal conversations in the Fanti language. A very good example of African music with speech tone is the work below composed by J. H Nketia Figure 9: Nkyirimma Ny1 Bi (Except from the melody of Nketia, J. H. K.) In the example above, the value of spoken words is displayed accurately by the composer. All the notes are given a note value that represents actual spoken language and therefore makes it easier for assimilation. From a very practical personal experimentation, the Fanti language and to a large extent the Akan language best suits the 6/8 time signature. The rhythmic balance in-between notes are clearly felt when the 6/8 time signature is used to write melodies for the Fanti language. This is not to say other time signatures are not useful but to my experimentation, it is easier to communicate better in the 6/8 time signature. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 58 Below is a rhythmic analysis of the selected songs. The transcription of the rhythms below was done based on spoken language. The rhythmic relationship between syllables and words. Figure 10: H1n Koma, Nsa nye Ndze P 1. q’ e q eee ‘ quqe ‘e qe q ‘qQ Hεn ko-ma, n-sa nye ndze ye dze da Nya- mea- se q ‘eee e q‘q e eee‘eee‘ Ɔa -yε an-wan-wa –dze,Wia-dze dzi ho e – hu-ru-si e‘eqeee ‘ Q eeee ‘eq’ O- fi hεn na ne yamu Ɔ-dze dɔ a- kyε dze eee ‘q q n ‘ Q e eee ‘qq E-hyi-ra hεn kwan nyina m’ Naɔ- da ho yε hεn-dze. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 59 2. e e qq’ eq qe’qe q e’q Ɔ- kyε- so Nyan-ko-pɔn Ɔn-ka hεn ho daa nyi-na, q \eeeeq\ Q q q\ eee e q \ Ɔm- fa a- ho- tɔ krɔnn, Ɔn- dom hεn a-ko- ma daa q \eee e q \q Q q \eee e q\q Ɔn- ko- ra hεn N’a- dom mu, On- gya hεn n-kɔn- tɔn- kye m’ e \eee e q \ q q n \q n Q \ Na ɔm- pa hεn mbu-su, Se- sei na n- daam-ba so. 3. e\eeq q’q q q’ e qeee \ A- yε- yi nye ndaa-se Ɔn ka Nya-me sor E-gya, n \ ee q q \ n q q \ q q q \ Nye Ne Ba Kor-to- noo, Nye Nya-me Sun- sum Krɔn-krɔn University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 60 e \qe q e \q q n \ q e q e \ Ɔ kor-sa Nyan-ko- pɔn, Sor nye a- saa- se sɔr No; q e \eee q e \e q eee ‘’ Mbrε a- hyε-se ɔ- tse n’, Ɔ- tse dεm a-fe-bɔɔ. Figure 11: Nyimpa a hom h4 Wiadze nyina P 1. \q q ee \ qee q\q e eee‘q q q Nyim-paa hom wɔ wia-dze nyi-na, Hom mfa en-yi-gye ndze ntow ndwom q \e e q e e’equeq \qe q e \ n q Hom mfa nyi Nyan-ko-pɔn a-yεw; Hom mbra N’enyimhom mbedzi dεw. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 61 2. e \q e eee \q e Q e \q qn \qq \ E- wura-dze yε Nya-me am- pa; Ɔ- noa-ra na ɔ- yεε hεn: n \ e q e q\qq q \ n qq \q e q Yε-yε Ne-dze, ɔn- yεn hεn daa; N’e- dzi-dzi-bea-do nguan nye hεn 3. q \q q q \qeeq’ q n q’eq e q \ O hom nhεn N’a- pon-kεse mu; Hom mbe-dzi dεw N’aban-gua do; q \ eq eee \e qEn \eq eee\qe Hom nhyiraN, nyi Ne dzin a-yεw; Na hεn Nyame fata n- daa se: 4. e \qee q\n q n \ eq eq\q q O- sian-dε E-wura dze yε pa; N’e-hum-bɔ-bɔr so tsim hɔ daa; e \eqe ee \qq n \eq q e \q University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 62 No no-kwar-dzi si pi am-pa, Na ɔnn-kɔ-bɔa-dzea-ra da Figure 12: Konyim As4r N’Ewuradze P 1. e e eqe \q q n \q n q \ Kon-yim a- sɔr n'E-wura-dze Yε-dze dεw yi Woa-yew n \eqe ee’q e e q \q ee q \ Yε-wɔ ha yi Yε- bɔ tow ndwom Dε en-yim-nyam-mu- fo no. e \ eee eee \eee eee \e q \ Yε hyε a- se ha a- ra Ma a-ko- ma na n- dze do e \q q q \ n q q \e qee e \q q Ke-ka m’ dzen-dzen Yi Nya-mea-yew Wɔ hεn n-kwan-ho- san ntsi University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 63 2. n \ eee e q \ e q E n \ q e eee \ Yε-da fo- na fo no- noo mu yi, Na yε nam o- gya mu yi, n \n q n \ q q. e’ qeeq’ qq’ Ye-hyi-ra wo dɔa On-yim hεn nda Na daa ɔ-dze hεn bεn Wo. n \ q q e e \q eeq\ q q e e\ Yε bɔ hεn nsamu dzi e- huru-si Wɔ W’en-yim-tsewee no mu; e \q e q e \ee q. e’qe e q’q q’ Wo dɔ a ɔ- maa Yε - yε Wo -dze n’ Bɔ- kora hεn wɔ Wo nkyεn daa. 3. e \q e eee \ e q eee \ eee q \ Ɔ- wo nye wo nko-rɔ - fo nam n-gyi –gye n’e-su-yi-rim’ e \q e q e \eeeeee \ ee e q\ E- bεn hεn yi yεn nko-su-ro a-man-dze- hu gya-ta-naa University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 64 q q’ e q.e e \ q q e e \qeeee \ Wia- dze nye bɔn nye a - bɔn-sam won-ko – tum e-si hεn mpa \e q e \qe q e \q e eee \qe q e\ Yε- Nam wo do bε- tsew hɔn mu na yεa-tow kon-yim-dzi ndwom no 4. q \ n q q \ e qeee \ q e q e \ Hεn gye-dzi hu en-yim- nyam a E-dze bɔ- dom hεn bio no; q \ e q e q \eee qe\qeeee’qq Mbea-mu- dua n’nnyε hwee A- ka- tua paa E-dzi e- si hεn en-yim ntsi. n \q e eee \q e eee \qeq \ Sε n- daam-ba yε-bε-fa- ta a, Ye-bo-hu Wo dε Stephen e \qe ee e \q q e e’eq eee \ O- hun Wo Wɔ Nya-me nyim-fa Dεe-re- gye hεn a- kɔ sor. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 65 3.3 STROPHIC WRITING FORM AGAINST THROUGH-COMPOSED WRITING Strophic form is the term applied to songs in which all stanzas or verses of the text are sung to the same music. In strophic writing the melody or the piece of music is repeated with changing lyrics. Most hymnal arrangements are strophic in nature. The hymns in the Methodist Hymn Book and the Fanti translation are all written in the strophic form. The same tune or melody runs through the stanzas. That means, a well- organized melody is written to suit all the verses with much emphasis on metrical balance of the lyrics. An example of a strophic work is shown below. Figure 13 How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (Melody with English Text Stanzas) The hymns in the Christian Asor Ndwom are performed in the strophic form. Even though the Fanti language is based on the contour, the stanzas of the hymns are sung to the same tune. An example is found below. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 66 Figure 14 Mbr1 Jesus Dzin Dua Y1 D1w (Melody with Fanti stanzas) There are times that a particular music in stanzas may have same melody with a few twists to the melody verse to verse based on changing lyrics. The changing melody is based on the changing lyrics. Analyzing the choral work below by J.H Nketia, we can see that even though the text keeps changing stanza to stanza, the music is carefully arranged to sound same. It is what I will call “Creative strophic writing”. Figure 15 Nkyirimma Ny1 Bi 1 (Except from the work of Nketia, Stanza 1. Melody) Figure 16 Nkyirimma Ny1 Bi 2 (Except from the work of Nketia, Stanza 2. Melody) Figure 17 Nkyirimma Ny1 Bi 3 (Except from the work of Nketia, Stanza 3. Melody) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 67 Through-composed refers to songs in which new music are written for every verse or stanza. Through-composed music is where the melodies or tunes keep changing verse by verse. Through-composed form suits African languages best because the contour of the language is important and must be considered in creating melodies for it. All stanzas may be metrically balanced but in terms of contour, they vary from each other. Singing the same melody over different stanzas does not correspond well with the contour direction of the Fanti language. For instance a phrase Nyimpa a hom w4 wiadze nyina, the first line of the first stanza of Christian Asor Ndwom number one (1) cannot have the same musical notes as Ewuradze y1 Nyame ampa from the first line of the second stanza because of their varying directions in terms of contour. Figure 18 Verse 1 Figure 19 verse 2 The Fanti translation rather must be set to the through-composed form of composition to get an accurate tonal between tune and lyrics. This will solve the problem of language distortion. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 68 CHAPTER FOUR COMPOSITIONS 4.1 PREAMBLE This chapter is the section of the thesis that has compositions based on the texts from the selected hymns. In this chapter, I have expressed all the ideas and knowledge collected in the form of compositions. The compositions I have done are based on the relationship between the texts of the Fanti hymns selected for this study and the tonal direction and as well as the speech –rhythm of the texts. The compositions are preceded by the set tunes from the Methodist Hymn Book. The compositions are arranged as follows:  Now thank we all our (set tune from the Methodist Hymn Book)  H1n koma, nsa, nye ndze (composition)  All people that on earth do dwell (set tune from the Methodist Hymn Book)  Nyimpa a hom w4 wiadze nyina (composition)  Head of thy Church triumphant (set tune from the Methodist Hymn Book)  Konyim As4r n’Ewuradze (composition) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 69 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 70 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 71 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 72 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 73 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 74 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 75 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 76 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 77 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 78 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 79 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 80 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 81 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 82 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 83 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 84 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 85 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 86 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 87 4.2 Analysis of the through–composed songs 4.2.1 Melody and text The melodies of the through – composed songs in this chapter have been carefully plotted on the text. Emphasis has been placed on the text both in its melodic contour and rhythmic usage. This allows the message in the language to stand out as it should without the melody altering its intended meaning. The texts have been well painted in both melodic as well as rhythmic values to achieve the intended balance. An example is found in bar 8 to 11 of Figure 16 with the text 4ay1 anwanwadze wiadze dzi ho ehurusi, where the text has been well aligned with melody to achieve the balance required. Another example is found in bar 9 to 10 of figure 18 with the text hom mfa nyi Nyankop4n ay1w. It is important to note that all the songs in this chapter have been composed by plotting notes on the texts, which allows a balance between text and melody through all the bars of the three (3) composed songs. 4.2.2 Harmony Basically the Western four –part harmony style has been the backbone of the three songs composed. Another compositional style used in this study is Unison which is the combination of parts at the same pitch or in octaves. An example of the use of unison is found in the first four measures of the song Konyim As4r n'Ewuradze in Figure 20. The first two lines of the hymn Konyim As4r n'Ewuradze, y1dze d1w yiw’ ay1w is assigned notes in unison. Another example is found in measures 26 to 28 of the same song with two lines from the second stanza y1b4 h1n nsamu dzi ehurusi w4 w'enyimtsewee no mu being assigned notes in unison. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 88 Another great natural harmonic style is the use of third's (3rd's) and sixth's (6th's) in African music. From a very practical view, any melody an African hears he tries to harmonize it by the use of 3rd's and 6th's.The use of the 3rd's and 6th's prove that the text and tonal contour are not only achieved in the melody but can also be achieved in the harmony. If the alto for instance moves along the soprano in 3rd's or 6th's, they both move along the same direction and the tonal achieved by the plotting of notes that is done on the soprano automatically affects the alto. Speech rhythm and tonal contour can therefore be achieved in harmony. An example is found in the first eight measures of my composition in C major for the second hymn Nyimpa a hom w4 wiadze nyina in Figure 18. In the first two measures Soprano and Alto sing in 6th's apart and Tenor and Bass respond in 3rd's apart. In the measures 5 to 8, soprano and alto reverse to sing in 3rd's while tenor and bass maintain their singing in 3rd's. They sing the following words, Nyimpa hom w4 wiadze nyina, Hom mfa enyigye ndze ntow Ndwom. Another example is in the first two measures of the composition in Figure 16, H1n Koma, nsa nye ndze where tenor and bass sing a 3rd apart from the soprano melody. Another recommendation in harmonizing African works is the use of juxtaposition. Juxtaposition is the placement of notes side by side. When a melodic line of about a measure or more moves in the same direction of the notes that's harmonizing the melody, there is juxtaposition. An example is found in bars 4 to 6 of Figure 16. The alto and tenor parts follow the melody in the same direction in the phrase H1n koma, nsa nye ndze. It is used to create emphasis and also prove a point that the contour direction of texts upon which melodies are written can affect the harmonies as well. All the parts involved are moving in the same direction together with the text. The use of juxtaposition proves that tonal contour aligned with the text in a music can also be done in the harmonizing parts and not just the melody. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 89 4.2.3 Call and Response Another element employed in the compositions is the use of call and response. A section or a part begin and another respond either as a repetition or a continuation of the statement. An example of call and response is found in Figure 16, sopranos do the calling by singing the phrase 4nkora h1n n'adom mu and alto, tenor and bass respond with same lyrics but at a different pitch. It is so dramatic when used and it separate the choir and the soloist as different units. The call and response could also take a form of more than one part doing the calling and the other parts doing the response either in unison or harmony. An example of this is found in the first eight measures of the composition in Figure 18. Soprano and alto does the call in both bars 1 and 2, and also 5 and 6. Tenor and bass then respond in bars 3 and 4, as well as 7 and 8. The text Nyimpa hom w4 wiadze nyina Hom mfa enyigye ndze ntow Ndwom are engaged in the call and response. 4.2.4 Sequence Sequence refers to the immediate restatement of a motif or a longer melodic or harmonic passage at a higher or lower pitch in the same voice. An example is found in bars 9 to 12 of my composition for the second hymn in Figure 18. Bars 11 and 12 is a sequence of bars 9 and 10 at a higher pitch. Another example is found in figure 16 which is my composition for the first hymn in D major. It begins on an anacrusis (offbeat). The first two measures are repeated in a higher pitch in bars 4 to 6 as a sequence. I recommend the use of sequence as a tool to re-echo the words and notes already sang to reemphasize it. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 90 4.2.5 Repetition In African music, one particular phrase may be repeated a number of times in ascending pitches or descending pitches or may be same pitch. Repetition may either occur in the musical notes or may also occur in the text of the music. For African compositions, both practices are common. For example, in bars 9 to 12 of my composition for the second hymn in Figure 18, the phrase Hom mfa nyi Nyankop4n ay1w is repeated at different pitches but same text. By using repetition, words are emphasized and painted well. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 91 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 PREAMBLE This thesis was embarked upon to extensively discover the relationship between text and tune and how their proper usage can enhance Ghanaian compositions. The Christian As4r Ndwom (Fanti version of the Methodist hymn book) was selected as a case study. I selected three hymns and carefully analyzed alongside other Ghanaian compositions. Few problems were discovered with the use of European tunes to sing the translated Fanti versions. With the amount of revealing knowledge from this study, I have come to appreciate the relationship between the text and the tune in music. African music has a lot of beautiful elements that, when put together, makes a music unique. With a blend of both European and African elements, a fine balance is created which makes African music sounds better. I have made interesting discoveries from this study which I have categorized into summary, findings, conclusion and recommendations. 5.2 SUMMARY Chapter one begins with a background to the study. The background to the study provides a brief description of the Christian As4r Ndwom and the books from which the hymns were translated to realize the Christian As4r Ndwom. It also provides a little education on the introduction of Choral music and especially the hymn singing tradition of the West. The background is followed by the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 92 problem statement, in which the problem of singing European tunes to the Fanti translation of hymns which results in the distortion of the language, is stated. This is followed by the aims and objectives of the study and followed with the listing of the research questions. The Scope of the study is stated after research questions. Literature review follows immediately, after which the theoretical framework of the study is given. The significance of the study is stated after the theoretical framework. The chapter closes with the methodology of the study. Chapter two is basically a historical perspective of the Christian As4r Ndwom. This chapter gives a historical record of music performances in the Gold Coast and the result it had on the compilation of the Christian As4r Ndwom. The chapter is divided into subsections namely: Music performances in the Fantiland before the introduction of Christianity, Choral music performances at the era of the missionaries, Ghanaian traditional music and the beginning of Choral compositions in the Methodist Church Ghana, the formation of the Singing Bands, and the Christian As4r Ndwom in which a historical account is given on how the book came to being. Chapter three is the main discussion section. It begins with a full discussion of the topic "Text and Tune in Ghanaian Hymnology". The chapter has subsections namely: Text and tune, Speech Rhythm and Strophic writing form against through-composed writing. In chapter four, I composed, for three selected hymns tunes that satisfy all the conditions I earlier on discuss in chapter three. At the beginning of every composition is attached the set tune from the Methodist hymn book. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 93 5.3 FINDINGS The area of text and tune (tone) in African music is very important and when the needed attention is given the subject, we will arrive at a point that the relationship between text and tune will be balanced. From this research work I have discovered a lot of importance with the balance of text with tune. The findings from the study include the following:  Solution to language distortion.  Creating new melodies without compromising existing beauty.  Creating new melodies for all stanzas of a hymn and still sound as one complete song.  Nationality and background of the authors of the Christian As4r Ndwom and the reason for the compilation. Solution to the language distortion From the beginning of this study, an important research question has been whether the tunes used to sing the Fanti translated words distort the meaning and flow of words in the Fanti language. To this question the study has shown clearly that there is a distortion to language when the English tunes are used for the Fanti words. This is so because the Fanti language is tonal and therefore is based on pitch. The contour of the language as well as the speech-rhythm helps the speaker and the listener make meaning out of it. For example, looking at figure 3 in chapter three of the study, the Hymn H1n koma, nsa nye ndze with the European melody Nun Danket by J. Cruger is a complete contradiction to the Fanti language. When the melody is sung to someone who is not familiar with the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 94 Methodist church, Ghana or the Christian As4r Ndwom, a great confusion will happen in his ear since the contour and the rhythm of the language are not expressed in the music. However, from my research and experience, I have come to know that people who were born Fanti Methodists or have been used to the Christian As4r Ndwom do so well at understanding the words from the music even though the melodies do not reflect the language. The improper use of musical notes as well as rhythm can lead to language distortions. Every syllable in the Fanti language naturally has a duration and any change in it may render the particular word meaningless or give it a different meaning from the intended one. The appropriate plotting of notes and rhythm allows the text achieve its proper meaning in the minds of the listener. Also the use of the Glissando in the Fanti pronunciation also helps to correct language distortions. There are words and syllables with a natural glissando and must be given notes that paint the effect. When notes are assigned carefully to the text with such effect, the correct meaning is expressed and distortion is taken out. The compositions I created for the selected hymns correct the distortions in the Fanti language that is found with the tunes used to sing them. I assigned the melodies to the words based on the contour and the speech-rhythm of the Fanti language which brings out the meaning to the singer and listener clearly. In all the three songs composed, one finds a balance between the texts and the tunes which corrects the distortions in setting the Fanti words to European existing melodies. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 95 Creating new melodies without compromising existing beauty. The second research question this study sort to answer is whether new melodies that fits the contour and speech-rhythm of the Fanti hymns translation, without compromising the beauty of the hymns. Truth be told that a lot of Methodists are so much in love with the European tunes and would feel a little uncomfortable when their favorite tunes are replaced by tunes that sound more African based on the uniqueness of the language. However, creating music based on the text does not in any way compromise or reduce its beauty. It rather makes it linguistically right and brings out the naturalness of the language expressed in the music. As indicated in Chapter three, there are no specific notes that the Fanti language should mandatorily take other than the rise and fall of pitches. Therefore a musician and for that matter a composer has the right to use all the musical notes available on any type of scale. The style in the compositions I have come across as a result of this study confirms that when music is based on the text, it gives it rather a natural look and takes away any artificial feeling. The texts become the basic tool and it's rather easy to write music based on it than to force words into a melody. The compositions I have written are carefully plotted on notes that bring out the best in terms of beauty and that make them unique. Even though the music are derived from African texts, Western elements of music are still employed in terms of harmony, modulations, chromatic notes and many more to provide a blend. Creating new melodies for all stanzas of a hymn and still sound as one complete song. Another research question is whether new melodies can be created for the other stanzas of a hymn and still sound together as one full song. To this question, I refer to the problems already stated about strophic writing in the chapter three of this thesis. All stanzas in a hymn even though have same University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 96 metrical balance, have different tonal or contour inferences and when sung to the same tune will distort language. Even though the text in the other stanzas are metrically balanced, singing them to the same tune will fit but that is linguistically improper. For example the first line in the first stanza of a hymn although may have the same number of syllables as the first line of its second stanza, they all have different words whose contour is different from each other and therefore cannot be sung to the same melody. However, if they have the same words in the lines, music can be repeated. Changing the music for other stanzas rather puts the whole music together and makes it an anthem instead of a hymn. The changing contour of the Fanti words verse by verse makes it difficult to write short lines of music like a hymn does. The language makes room for verse by verse variation of melodies which together becomes an anthem instead of a hymn. The tunes I have composed treat a full hymn as a song but with different sections performed continually without a break. The different stanzas are mostly given a new musical element to differentiate the other verses. Nationality and background of the authors of the Christian As4r Ndwom and the reason for the compilation. Another great finding in this study is the background of the authors of the Christian As4r Ndwom and the reason why the Christian Asor Ndwom was compiled. It is important finding the Nationality and profession of the authors of the book so that the work they did will be appreciated and also pardon errors discovered to be associated with their work. The Rev'd Andrew W. Parker who translated a lot hymns from English to Fanti in 1927 was an English clergyman. He was not a Ghanaian and did not have a deeper knowledge of the Fanti University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 97 language and the effects music has on it. His interest was to make the hymns accessible to the Fanti natives and to this target he achieved. Others including Rev. F.C.F. Grant, William De-Graft, Reverend’s Gaddiel Acquaah, J.B. Anaman and A.B. Dickson were Ghanaians but with little or no training in music. They also had the interest and desire to make the English hymns meaningful to their Fanti people which will contribute to their evangelistic endeavors. They were well-versed in the Fanti language and the translations they did were fantastic. Even though the Reverends Gaddiel Acquaah and J.B. Anaman were great song writers themselves, they were not in the position to realize the text and tune disparity in the translation they did because those were the earliest days of Ghanaian compositions and not much emphasis or discovery had been made on the subject of text and tune. Even those who had training in music were trained in the Western style of music. Their writing style were similar to that of the Europeans. Those who composed in Fanti only wrote notes to fit the Fanti language metrically but not based on the contour direction of the language. Their compositions reflected those of the Westerners they learnt from. It is a common realization that the reasons for the hymn translation were not purely musical but linguistic. This is because the translation was needed to attract the Fanti indigenes into the church and also to have their participation. This is to say that the translation from English to Fanti is purely for aesthetic purpose. Just to make the hymns appealing and acceptable to people who could not sing in English or rather to satisfy those who were English literates but preferred music in their native language to those in the English language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 98 5.4 CONCLUSION In conclusion, I state emphatically that a lot of Ghanaian composers have written songs based on the text and tune relationship. These songs range from short and long anthems, highlife pieces as well as a few through-composed songs. There are works from very prominent Ghanaian composers who have carefully arranged musical notes to suit the language contour and speech-rhythm of the Ghanaian language. A few of such compositions have been listed below with their composers: Adanse Kr4nkr4n (A holy witness) by J.H. Nketia M4b4 dawur (I will proclaim you to all nations) by Newlove Annan Meyi Akyea (I will dance) by Sam Asare Bediako Y1dze wo k1sey1 ma wo (We give you your honour) by George Mensah Essilfie It must also be put on record that, not all the notes in these songs are 100 percent aligned to fit the tonal contour and speech-rhythm. Occasionally, there are break-away from the text and tune practice. This may be due to more use of Western effect in some of the compositions and also to satisfy harmonic demands. I believe this thesis will help students to learn more about the usage of text and most especially African text in composition as well as help their melody writing skills. It will also assist composers be resolute using the text and tune relationship as an element of beauty and as well as giving our African music a form and identity in terms of language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 99 5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS 5.5.1 Text, Rhythm and Melody As stated earlier, the text is the driving force or the main tool upon which the melody is constructed in vocal music. The text makes it quite easy to plot musical notes. From a very practical approach, I have come to know that it is easier writing melodies on the text than to plot text on the melody. Studying all my compositions in the Chapter four of this study, one will realize that they all satisfy the conditions I have listed. I recommend the use of the text as the main tool upon which the melody should be written for two important reasons below: a) The text carries a message or an idea in which the music is to support in its communication. The use of text in determining melody will ensure the communication of intended message as well as do away with language distortion. Every word or syllable will have its balanced rhythmic duration to make it more meaningful to both the performer and the listener. b) The use of text to create melody is also the easiest way to write African vocal music. Every word or syllable has a pitch as well as rhythmic value and so the composer is already given the two unique tools to use already. Knowing how to move pitches up and down along the words makes it easy to create music. 5.5.2 Harmony Another great attribute of African music is the harmony that accompanies the melody. Even though the four- part harmony system is European, we have practiced this for a very long time and have University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 100 authority on its usage. It is an advantage to us to still use it in our music but I recommend we keep some harmonic styles and forms that are common to us Africans. These styles include the use of unisons, 3rd’s and 6th’s and juxtapositions. 5.5.3 Call and Response It is common knowledge that the use of call and response in African music has always existed. In different Ghanaian traditional music performances, call and response is always in use. The call usually introduces a statement and the response will either reemphasize or confirm it. The call may also pose a question in which the response will answer. The response most of the time will complete in harmony the statement begun by the call. The call may be repetitive or changing as well as varied. Normally the response is in two or three parts usually separated by 3rd's and 6th's. 5.5.4 Sequence Sequence occurs in a lot of African compositions for emphasis and re-enforcement. Sequences offer the listener an opportunity to hear out lyrics already sung that was not well assimilated. I recommend the use of sequence as a tool to re-echo the words and notes already sang to reemphasize it. 5.5.5 Repetition Repetition is the principle on which improvisation is built. It is for re-enforcement and re - emphasis. Repetition occurs in the musical notes as well as in the text of the music. I recommend the use of repetition to emphasize the text in the music. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 101 5.5.6 Instruments Instrumentation in African choral music is very important especially in the Methodist Church Ghana. The introduction of Christianity in the Gold Coast was accompanied by the introduction of Western instruments. The Organ is the main instrument that made much influence in the Methodist Churches along the Coast. The organ has always been in use in the Fanti churches and still does. It accompanies every song in the church including the Ebibindwom. The Organ’s ability to play the four-part harmony usually sung by the choir, it offers much weight to the song and supports the choir as well. Accapella singing (Singing unaccompanied by any instrument) is beautiful and a lot of musicians prefer that to the use of the Organ for the performance of African compositions. Again, some argue that most Organists play a little loud and therefore sink the voices or the fact that some choristers hide behind the organ and sing inaccurately. I however encourage the use of the Organ to reemphasize the notes sung by the choir, to enforce accuracy and to support the choir when the need arises. The Organ provides additional beauty especially when additional notes are written for the organ or the Organist provides extra notes to make renditions better. The use of African instruments is also recommended. The popular among the African instruments used in the Methodist churches are the drums. Usually for choral singing, it is accompanied with the use of the Konga drum and the European Jazz kit, as well as the Castanets and the Dawuro (Gong). I recommend the continuous use of musical instruments to accompany African music. The drums give the music the African feel and the performers as well as listeners can identify with it better. The use of drums in African music helps to maintain the tempo of music and as well as provide a steady rhythmic guide for all performers. More importantly, in African choral music where there is the tendency for a part to either slow or speed up tempo, the use of the drum will help solve the problem. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 102 Even though the compositions I did can be performed without any instrument, I recommend the use of the Organ and drums to accompany the singing. The use of the drum will make it more African and more enjoyable to performers and listeners alike. 5.5.7 Dance and clapping African music is performed not just with the use of the mouth but the entire body. It is common knowledge that African music is participatory and usually there are no audiences. This is so because the audience end up singing, clapping and dancing along the performance. This development therefore turns the audience to performers. In the case of African choral music, the dance brings out more expression from the singer and aesthetically makes music more enjoyable to the African audience. It is part and parcel of the African and cannot be taken out. I recommend the use of dance and clapping. The compositions I did can either be sung as an Anthem with dance and clapping accompaniment or without dance and clapping. The dance gives the performance a steady beat and also keeps parts together. 5.5.8 Melody writing Guide I recommend this thesis to schools and universities. who have music composition and melody writing as part of their curriculum. This will enable students get a practical and basic understanding of African music compositions. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 103 REFERENCES Agawu, K. (1995). African Rhythm: A Northern Ewe perspective, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2016). The African Imagination in Music, New York: Oxford University Press. Amuah, J. A. (2012) The use of Traditional Music Elements in Contemporary Ghanaian Choral Music: Perspectives from selected works of George Worlasi Kwasi Dor, Nicodemus Kofi Badu and Newlove Annan. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Ghana, Legon. (2013) A Survey of Choral Art Music Performance Scenes in Ghana. Online International Journal of Arts and Humanities. Volume 2, Issue 10, pp.242-247 Andoh, T. E. (2008) The choral music scene in the Gold Coast (Ghana) prior to 1933: Ghana Bulletin of Theology (N.S) Vol.3 pp 77-110 Baeta, C, G. (1967) Aspects of Religion: A study of Contemporary Gold Coast vol.2, pp. 240-250 Bao, Z. (1999). The Structure of Tone, New York: Oxford University Press. Bartels, F. L. (1965). The Roots of Ghana Methodism, Cambridge and Accra: Cambridge University Press and Ghana Methodist Book Depot. Debrunner, H. K. (1962). Pioneers of Church and Education in the Gold Coast, Copenhagen Euba, A. (1993). Modern African Music: A catalogue of Selected Archival materials at Iwalewa- Haus, University of Bayreuth, Germany, Bayreuth: University of Bayreuth. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 104 Fromkin, V. A. (1978). Tone: A Linguistic Survey, New York: Academic Press. Methodist Book Depot Limited (2012). Christian Asor Ndwom Fofor. Accra: Methodist Book Depot Limited Methodist Conference Office (1933). The Methodist Hymn-Book with tunes. London: Methodist Conference Office Methodist Church Ghana (2015). The Beginning of the Singing Band. Official Website of the Methodist Church Ghana, http://www.methodistchurch-gh.org/index.php/the- Church/2014-07-18-17-37-06/223-singing-band Nketia, J.H.K. (1963). Folk songs of Ghana, Legon: University of Ghana (1974). Music of Africa, New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. Turkson, A. (1972). Evolution of the Fanti Sacred Lyric. Research review. 9 (3) 1973, pages 1- 12 Williamson, S. G. (1965) .Akan Religion and the Christian Faith: A comparative study of the Impact of two Religions, Accra: Ghana University Press University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 105 APPENDIX University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 106 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 107 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 108 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 109 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 110 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 111 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 112 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 113 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 114 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 115 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 116 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 117 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 118 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 119 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 120 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 121 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 122 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 123 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 124 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 125 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 126 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 127 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 128 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 129 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 130 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 131 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 132 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 133 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 134 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 135 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 136 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 137 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 138 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 139 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 140 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 141 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 142 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 143 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 144 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 145 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 146 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 147 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 148 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 149 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 150 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 151 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 152 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 153 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 154 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 155 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 156 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 157 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 158 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 159 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 160 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 161 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 162 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 163 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 164 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 165 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 166 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 167 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh